Automatic master-slave system and approach

ABSTRACT

An automatic master slave system and approach for coordinated control of a parameter, for example, a heating, ventilation and air conditioning condition, in an area of multiple spaces controlled by room controllers. Changing a layout of a zone/area in a building such as moving, adding or removing a door, increasing or splitting size of a room through movable walls, or by permanently removing partitions, changing offices to a conference room or vice versa, may occur. A size of a room may be altered within minutes, according to customer demand. For instance, rooms may be converted into a single room by removing partitions. The controllers that were controlling temperatures of the rooms independently earlier, may convert automatically into a master-slave configuration and now work together to control a larger room. If the large room is split into multiple rooms, the controllers may automatically revert to their previous configuration.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure pertains to controllers and particularly tocombining controllers in one way or another.

SUMMARY

The disclosure reveals an automatic master slave system and approach forcoordinated control of a parameter, for example, a heating, ventilationand air conditioning condition, in an area of multiple spaces controlledby room controllers. Changing a layout of a zone/area in a building suchas moving, adding or removing a door, increasing or splitting size of aroom through movable walls, or by permanently removing partitions,changing offices to a conference room or vice versa, may occur. A sizeof a room may be altered within minutes, according to customer demand.For instance, rooms may be converted into a single room by removingpartitions. The controllers that were controlling temperatures of therooms independently earlier, may convert automatically into amaster-slave configuration and now work together to control a largerroom. If the large room is split into multiple rooms, the controllersmay automatically revert to their previous configuration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a diagram of conference rooms with controllers having amovable partition separating them;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of conference rooms with controllers connectedtogether as a single larger conference room by removing or folding in amovable partition;

FIG. 3 is a diagram of fan coil unit controller that may illustrate acontroller application principle

FIG. 4 is a diagram of fan coil unit controllers that may illustrate amaster-slave principle;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of an illustrative physical network connection thatmay be made for a master-slave layout;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a relationship of an instance of one controlapplication type and an instance another control application type in azone;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a relationship of an instance of severalcontrol application types in a zone;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a relationship of an instance of one controlapplication type for a zone and plus an instance a control applicationtype in another zone;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an instance of two control application typesfor one zone and an instance of two control application types foranother;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an two instances of a control applicationtype for one zone and an instance a control application type for anotherzone;

FIG. 11 is a diagram of a learning phase workflow between a mastercontroller and a slave controller;

FIG. 12 is a diagram of a slave state machine and a master state machineduring a learning phase;

FIG. 13 is a diagram of a point value exchange and aggregate calculationin a master controller; and

FIG. 14 is a diagram of tool communications to a controller.

DESCRIPTION

The present system and approach may incorporate one or more processors,computers, controllers, user interfaces, wireless and/or wireconnections, and/or the like, in an implementation described and/orshown herein.

This description may provide one or more illustrative and specificexamples or ways of implementing the present system and approach. Theremay be numerous other examples or ways of implementing the system andapproach.

Changing a layout of a zone/area in a building such as moving, adding orremoving a door, increasing or splitting size of a room through movablewalls, or by permanently removing partitions, changing offices to aconference room or vice versa, may be quite common during an operationalphase of the building. The size of a room may be altered within a fewminutes, according to customer demand. Whenever such changes happen,either a permanent change or temporary change, the HVAC characteristicsof an affected space may vary. Air change rates, cooling and heatingdemands may vary. The variations may impact overall comfort of thatzone.

The impact may demand a building automation system to adapt to the newconditions of the space dynamically either permanently or for aspecified period of time. For example, there may be four conferencerooms which are controlled by eight FCU units independently; when thereis a need, these four conference rooms may be converted into a singlebig conference room by removing movable partitions. Fan coil unit (FCU)controllers that were controlling temperatures of these four conferencerooms independently earlier, and now should work together to controlthis single big conference room. Otherwise, there may be chances thatsome FCU controllers will be detecting more heating requirements andheating the space, while others will be controlling for more cooling.This kind of simultaneous heating and cooling of the same space bydifferent FCU controllers are not necessarily being energy efficient andmay create discomfort in the zone.

Conventionally, any kind of permanent change in layout may be addressedby re-programming the controller through explicit point binding betweenthe two application instances, and re-downloading into the controllersto suit new layout HVAC conditions. In some cases where temporarychanges are required, commissioning engineer/building operators may haveto intervene and change the HVAC configuration to suit target zones'HVAC demands. This may lead to more maintenance effort and lesscompetitive solutions.

So one may need a building control system solution, which is flexible,and self-configurable and adaptable to the new layout changes based onthe customer needs without demanding re-programming and re-configurationof the system. The system should avoid parallel heating and cooling inseveral areas that belong to the same zone. In the present approach, onemay provide an automated/adaptive solution in a building controller toaddress these customer issues.

In the solution, every controller application instance may beresponsible to control the temperature of a zone in the building, whenmany zones make up a room. For example, movable doors may be opened tojoin two conference rooms. Controllers may detect these changesautomatically, do self-configuration, learn each other, and one of theinstances in that room may become a master for controlling the roomwhile all other instances may become slaves, and all of them togethermay control the space in a coordinated fashion. Sometimes, a user mayexplicitly trigger some of the application configuration changes(typically for permanent changes in the area) through commissioningtools. A controller may detect these changes and adapt to conditionswithout the need to change the application logic through engineeringtools and re-downloading logic binaries into the controller.

In the present solution, every controller may run one or more plantinstances (application instances). Every plant instance may carry itsown identifier and master identifier. When both identifiers are thesame, the plant instance may be running independently as a master. Whenthe master identifier is different from its own identifier, then it mayrun as a slave. The slave may register itself to the master, and bothmay start learning an application context by each other.

In the present system, every input/output point and parameters thatcontrol application logic may have a unique point role information,which may provide a function of a point or parameter within the system.During the learning phase, the master and slave may exchange details ofthese point roles and data flow direction. For example, the master mayinform the slave that it would be looking for space temperatureinformation from the slave, and the slave may inform to the master thatit would need effective setpoint information from it.

After the learning phase, the master and slave may start exchanginginformation based on a change of value or defined periodicity, andexecute its application logic. This automatic learning through pointroles does not necessarily require an explicit point binding between themaster and slave controllers through programming/engineering tools.

In the present solution, a master application instance may receivevalues from different slave instances (a slave instance can be part ofthe same controller or can be from different controllers), and mayperform a defined aggregation function (Average, Min, Max, Sum) forvirtually all received values and provide a resultant effective datavalue to all slaves. For example, there may be an average value of roomtemperature received from different temperature sensors.

In another approach, one master may have several slaves. In more complexapplication types, there may be different control domains like HVAC,Lighting and Sunblind. It may even occur that the master for the HVACdomain is different from the master for the lighting domain. A slave mayde-register itself from the master and register with another masterbased on changes in the zone.

In still another approach, a plant instance of a controller may detectchanges in the zone through sensors connected to it. For example, aslave may detect that a room partition has been removed based on aswitch sensor, and recognize that it should be acting as a slave fromnow on registering itself with the master. When the room partition isclosed, it may detect again a switch contact position and de-registerfrom the master to work as an independent master. As a controlapplication may detect and make necessary changes automatically, and afield technician or building operator does not necessarily have to makeany explicit configuration.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a conference room 11 and a conference room 12.Rooms 11 and 12 may have a movable partition 17 separating them. Room 11may be temperature controlled by FCU controllers 13 and 14. Controller13 may be a master controller and controller 14 may be a slavecontroller. The temperature of room 12 may be controlled by FCUcontrollers 15 and 16. Controller 15 may be a master controller andcontroller 16 may be a slave controller.

In FIG. 2, a diagram shows that conference room 11 and conference room12 may be connected together as a single larger conference room byremoving or folding in the movable partition 17, at least on a temporarybasis. Controllers 13, 14, 15 and 16 may have to control the temperatureof overall space incorporating rooms 11 and 12 in a coordinated fashion.For instance, controller 13 may take the master role and controllers 14,15 and 16 may act as slaves, automatically.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of fan coil unit controller 21 that may illustrate acontroller application principle. An IO zone 22 may have an input point23 for room temperature and an input point 24 for a setpoint. A circlesymbol 18 with an outgoing dashed arrow may represent an input rolewithin a zone, in that it provides a signal. A square or diamond symbol19 with an incoming dashed arrow may represent an output role within azone, in that it consumes a signal. Symbol 19 as an output role within azone that consumes a signal should provide a conflict resolutionalgorithm like AVERAGE, MAX, MIN, LAST WINS, and so forth.

A room temperature signal may be provided from input point 23 as aninput indicated by symbol 27 providing the signal, and symbol 29 asconsuming the room temperature signal at a master logic module 25 in amaster zone 26. A setpoint signal may be provided from input point 24 asan input as indicated by symbol 28 providing the signal and symbol 31 asconsuming the setpoint signal at master logic module 25.

A heating valve signal may be provided at symbol 32 from master logicmodule 25 to an output point 34 via symbol 33 in IO zone 22. A fansignal may be provided at symbol 35 from module 25 to a symbol 36 thatconsumes the signal for IO logic module 37. A re-heater signal may beprovided at symbol 38 from module 25 to a symbol 39 that consumes thesignal for IO logic module 37. From logic module 37, the fan signal maybe consumed by symbol 41 at output point 42. Also from module 37, there-heater signal may be consumed by symbol 43 at output point 44.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of fan coil unit controllers 51 and 52 that mayillustrate a master-slave principle. Controller 51 may have an IO zone53 and a master zone 54. Controller 52 may have an IO zone 55 and amaster zone 56. A room temperature input point 57 may have a roomtemperature signal provided as indicated by symbol 59 providing thesignal, and symbol 62 as consuming the room temperature signal that goesthrough an AVERAGE algorithm 64 and a zone room temperature virtualpoint 65 (for a supervisor), and as a local room temperature to acool-heat logic module 66.

A wall module setpoint input point 58 may have a wall module setpointsignal provided as indicted by symbol 61 providing the signal, andsymbol 62 as consuming the wall module setpoint signal that goes througha LAST WINS algorithm 67 and a zone wall module setpoint virtual point68 (for supervisor) as a local wall module setpoint at cool-heat logicmodule 66. A scheduler 69 may provide an input to logic module 66. Alocal room temperature signal may exit logic module 66 as provided by asymbol 71. A symbol 72 may receive and consume the signal as a controldeviation signal may go from symbol 72 to a control loop (0 . . . 10Vact) 73.

A wall module setpoint signal may exit logic module 66 as indicated by asymbol 74. A symbol 76 may receive and consume the setpoint signal andbe a zone wall module setpoint virtual point 75 (for a wall moduledisplay).

Control loop 73 may have a fan override mechanism 77. From loop 73 maybe an output point (heating valve) 78 connected to an analog out(characteristic) terminal 83, an output point (cooling valve) 79connected to an analog out (characteristic) terminal 84, a multi stageoutput point (fan) 81 to a relay (fan stage 1) terminal 85 and a relay(fan stage 2) terminal 86, and an output point (re-heater) terminal 87.

Controller 52 may have an IO zone 55 and a master zone 56. A roomtemperature input point 97 may have a room temperature signal providedas indicated by symbol 98 providing the signal, and symbol 102 asconsuming the room temperature signal that goes through an AVERAGEalgorithm 104 and a zone room temperature virtual point 105 (for asupervisor), and as a local room temperature to a cool-heat logic module106.

A wall module setpoint input point 58 may have a wall module setpointsignal provided as indicated by symbol 101 providing the signal, andsymbol 102 as consuming the wall module setpoint signal that goesthrough a LAST WINS algorithm 107 and a zone wall module setpointvirtual point 108 (for supervisor) as a local wall module set point atcool-heat logic module 106. A scheduler 109 may provide an input tologic module 106. A local room temperature signal may exit logic module106 as provided by a symbol 111. A symbol 112 may receive and consumethe signal. A control deviation signal may go from symbol 112 to acontrol loop (thermal act) 113.

A wall module setpoint signal may exit module 106 as provided by asymbol 114. A symbol 116 may receive and consume the setpoint signalsand be a zone wall module setpoint virtual point 115 (for a wall moduledisplay).

Control loop 113 may have a fan override mechanism 117. From loop 113may be an output point (thermal act.) 118 connected to a binary outputterminal 123, an output point (thermal act.) 119 connected to a binaryoutput terminal 124, a multi stage output point (fan) 121 to a relay(fan stage 1) terminal 125 and a relay (fan stage 2) terminal 126, andan output point (re-heater) terminal 127.

Several connections between controller 51 and controller 55 mayillustrate the master slave principle as applied to the controllers.Symbol 102 of controller 52 may consume a room temperature signalprovided by symbol 59 of controller 51. Symbol 103 of controller 52 mayconsume a wall module setpoint signal provided by symbol 61 ofcontroller 51. Symbol 72 of controller 51 may consume a local roomsignal provided by symbol 111 of controller 52. Symbol 76 of controller51 may consume a wall module setpoint signal provided by symbol 114 ofcontroller 52.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of an illustrative physical network connection thatmay be made for a master-slave layout. A plant controller 130 may beconnected to a BACnet MS/TP network 129. Room controllers 131, 132 and133 may be connected to network 129. There may be additional controllersconnected to network 129. Plant controller 130 may be the master and theother controllers connected to network 129 may be the slaves. Each ofthe controllers may have a controller connected to it such as wallmodules 135 and 136 connected to controllers 131 and 132, respectively.

FIGS. 6-10 are diagrams of scenarios for relationships between controlapplication types and control application instances. FIG. 6 is a diagramshowing a relationship of an instance one of a control application type“light and sunblind” and an instance one of a control application type“heating” controlling “zone A”. For example, a controller 141 mayprovide a control application instance 142 for a light 143 and asunblind 144 at a zone 145. Controller 141 may also provide a controlapplication instance 146 for heating 147 at zone 145.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a relationship of an instance one of acontrol application type “heating and light and sunblind” controlling“zone A”. For example, controller 141 may provide a control applicationinstance 148 for heating 147 and light 143 and sunblind 144 at zone 145.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a relationship of an instance one of acontrol application type “heating” controlling “zone A” plus an instancetwo of a control application type “heating” controlling “zone B”. Forexample, controller 141 may provide a control application instance 149for heating 147 at zone 145 and provide a control application instance151 for heating 153 at a zone 152.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an instance one of a control applicationtype “heating” controlling “zone A” plus an instance one of controlapplication type “light and sunblind” controlling “zone A”, an instancetwo of control application type “heating” controlling “zone B” plus aninstance two of control application type “light and sunblind”controlling “zone B”. For example, a controller 157 may provide acontrol application instance 142 for light 143 and sunblind 144 at zone145, a control application instance 146 for heating at zone 145, acontrol application instance 156 for light 143 and a sunblind 144 atzone 152, and a control application instance 151 for heating 147 at zone152.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an instance one of a control applicationtype “heating” controlling “zone A” plus an instance one of a controlapplication type “light and sunblind” controlling “zone A”, and aninstance two of a control application type “light and sunblind”controlling “zone B” e.g., a floor. For example, a controller 158 mayprovide a control application instance 142 for light 143 and sunblind144 at zone 145, a control application instance 146 for heating at zone145, and a control application instance 156 for light 143 and sunblind144 at zone 152.

FIG. 11 is a diagram of a learning phase workflow between a mastercontroller (master) 159 and a slave controller (slave) 160. Variouscommunications 161-166 may occur between master 159 and slave 160, asrepresented by solid lines (message) and dash lines (response) witharrows indicating directions of the communications. At communication161, slave 160 may register itself to master 159. Master 159 may addslave 160 to its slave list. Master 159 may acknowledge (ACK) aregistration success via a communication 162 to slave 160. Master 159may request in a communication 163 that slave 160 send a list of pointrole values to be exchanged to master 159. Master 159 may update a pointrole table list for slave 160. In a response 164, slave 160 may send apoint role list to master 159. Slave 160 may ask in a request 165 thatmaster 159 send a list of point role values to be exchanged. Master 159may update the point role table list for this slave 160. Master 159 may,in a response 166, send a point role list to slave 160.

FIG. 12 is a diagram of a slave state machine 171 and a master statemachine 170 during a learning phase. A slave may indicate to a masterthat it is a slave. Several results may occur. One may be that themaster accepts “I am slave” as indicated by transitions 181 and 191 fornormal states 172 and 175 to occur for the master state machine 170 andthe slave state machine 171, respectively. There may be no reply to “Iam slave” after maximum retries at action 192 of no comm state 176.There may be no message from the slave for maximum time at transition182 from normal state 172 to no comm state 173 of the master. If amaster dev ID is invalid, then there may be a transition from no commstate 176 to an error config state 177 of the slave. The master “rejectI am slave” may be of transition 183 from no comm state 173 to errorconfig 174 of the master. A master “reject the write-point role-valuefrom the slave” may be of a transition 184 from normal state 172 to anerror config state 174 of the master. A no reply to heartbeat orwrite-point role value after maximum retries may be of a transition 194from normal state 175 to no comm state 176 of the slave.

FIG. 13 is a diagram of a point value exchange and aggregate calculationin a master controller. A local IO scan task 199 may provide a localvalue 200. A first slave may provide a first remote value 201, a secondslave may provide a second remote value 202, and so on. A last or nthslave may provide an nth remote value 203. Values 200, 201, 202, 203 andany in-between values may go to an aggregate functions mechanism 205.Local value 200 may also go to a local input of a data storage device209 of the master controller. An output of mechanism 205 may go toinputs of average, sum, min, max and last write/wins of storage device209. A present value of a data point may be a local value or anaggregate function based on a configuration of the master controller.

FIG. 14 is a diagram of tool communications to a controller 211. Anengineering tool 212 may provide application binaries 213 to controller211. A mobile commissioning tool 214 may provide a configuration 215 tocontroller 211.

To recap, a master-slave controller system may incorporate one or morecontrollers in one or more spaces. Two or more spaces may be reducibleto fewer spaces or one or more spaces are increasable to two or morespaces. If two or more spaces are combined into a smaller number,including one, of spaces, then virtually all of the one or morecontrollers in each of the smaller spaces may be combined into amaster-slave relationship for each of the smaller number of spaces. Ifone or more spaces are split into a larger number of spaces, then foreach space there is one or more controllers and a master-slaverelationship that may exist for each space which has two or morecontrollers.

Each group of controllers may have a master controller. Each controllermay have an own ID and a master ID. If an own ID of a controller isdissimilar from the master ID, then the controller may be a slave. If anown ID of a controller is the same as the master ID of the controller,then the controller may be a master.

When two or more spaces are combined into a smaller number of spaces,the controllers of the combined spaces may be automatically connectedinto a master-slave relationship.

When one or more spaces are split into a larger number of spaces, thenthe master-slave relationship may be automatically implemented for eachspace that has two or more controllers.

The two or more spaces may be combined with one another by removal ofone or more partitions or walls. If any of the one or more partitions orwalls is opened or removed, a combining of the two spaces may result ina larger space having two or more controllers. A sensor may detect anopening or a removal of the one or more partitions or walls for thecombining of the two spaces. A signal from the sensor may go to thecontrollers of the larger space which selects one controller to be amaster and a remaining one or more controllers to be slaves.

The one or more spaces may be split into one or more additional spaceswith one or more partitions or walls. A sensor may detect a splitting ofthe one or more spaces into one or more spaces with one or morepartitions or walls. A signal from the sensor may go to the controllersof the resulting spaces, which selects one controller to be a master andremaining one or more controllers of each space that has two or morecontrollers, to be slaves.

A slave-master relationship may incorporate a learning phase, a pointvalue exchange, and an aggregate calculation and an exchange ofcalculated value by a master.

The learning phase may incorporate a slave registering with a master,the master adding the slave to a slave list, the master requesting theslave to send a list of point role values to be exchanged, the slavesending the list of point role values to the master, the master updatingthe list of point role values of the slave, the slave requesting themaster to send a list of point role values to be exchanged, the masterupdating the list of the point role values for the slave, and the mastersending the list of the point role values to the slave.

The point-value exchange may incorporate a local points value from themaster to a data point storage and to an aggregate function mechanism, afirst remote value from a first slave to the aggregate functionmechanism, and an nth remote value from an nth slave to the aggregatefunction mechanism. nth may refer to virtually any or all of 2nd throughnth remote values from 2nd through nth slaves, respectively, to theaggregate function mechanism. The aggregate function mechanism mayprovide an output of an average, a sum, a minimum, a maximum or lastwrite/wins to the data point storage.

The master may incorporate the aggregate function mechanism and the datapoint storage.

The controllers may provide control of the spaces for one or moreconditions selected from a group incorporating temperature, lighting,sun-blinds and security.

An approach for master-slave configuring may incorporate combining twoor more spaces, each space having at least one controller, into one ormore resulting spaces, selecting one controller of each resulting spaceas a master, and connecting remaining one or more controllers of eachresulting space as slaves to the master. The combining the two or morespaces into the one or more resulting spaces may be detected by asensor. A signal from the sensor detecting the combining the two or morespaces may go to an interface circuit connected to controllers of aresulting space to automatically implement selecting a controller ofeach resulting space as a master and configuring remaining one or morecontrollers of each resulting space as slaves of the master.

The controllers may manage one or more parameters of the spaces. The oneor more parameters may be selected from a group incorporatingtemperature, lighting, sun-blinds, and security.

Each controller may run one or more application instances. Eachapplication instance may have its own identifier and a masteridentifier. When a master identifier and an own identifier of anapplication instance are different, then the application instance mayrun as a slave. When a master identifier and an own identifier of anapplication instance are the same, then the application instance may runas a master.

The approach may further incorporate reversing the combining two or morespaces into previously uncombined two or more spaces. The reversing thecombining the two or more spaces may be detected by the sensor and asignal may go from the sensor to the interface circuit to automaticallyreturn the controllers to their previous slave and master configurationsthat were present just prior to the combining the two or more spaces.

Each master may have a set of one or more slaves for each controldomain. One or more control domains may be selected from a groupincorporating HVAC control domains, lighting domains, sun-blind domains,and security domains.

The one controller of each resulting space selected as a master maycover a first control domain. Another controller of each resulting spaceselected as a master may cover a second control domain.

Additional controllers of each resulting space may be selected asmasters that cover additional control domains respectively. One or morecontrol domains may be selected from a group of domains incorporatingtemperature, lighting, sun-blinds and security.

A master-slave arrangement may incorporate one or more rooms, and one ormore controllers for controlling a parameter in each of the one or morerooms. Any of the two or more rooms may be combinable into one or morelarger rooms. Upon combining the two or more rooms into one or morelarger rooms, the one or more controllers for controlling a parameter ineach of the two or more rooms may be automatically connected as slavecontrollers and a master controller.

The arrangement may further incorporate a detector situated in at leastone or more rooms of the two or more rooms being combined into one ormore larger rooms, and an interface circuit connected to the detectorand the controllers of the one or more rooms being connected. Thedetector may sense a combining of the two or more rooms into one or morelarger rooms and provide a signal indicting the combining to theinterface circuit. The interface circuit may effect one controller to bea master and remaining controllers to be slaves, of the one or morelarger rooms.

The parameter may be selected from a group incorporating temperature,lighting, sun blocking, and security.

A largeness of a room may be determined by floor area.

Any publication or patent document noted herein is hereby incorporatedby reference to the same extent as if each individual publication orpatent document was specifically and individually indicated to beincorporated by reference.

In the present specification, some of the matter may be of ahypothetical or prophetic nature although stated in another manner ortense.

Although the present system and/or approach has been described withrespect to at least one illustrative example, many variations andmodifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art uponreading the specification. It is therefore the intention that theappended claims be interpreted as broadly as possible in view of therelated art to include all such variations and modifications.

What is claimed is:
 1. A master-slave controller system comprising: oneor more controllers in one or more spaces; and wherein: two or morespaces are reducible to fewer spaces or one or more spaces areincreasable to two or more spaces; if two or more spaces are combinedinto a smaller number, including one, of spaces, then virtually all ofthe one or more controllers in each of the smaller spaces are combinedinto a master-slave relationship for each of the smaller number ofspaces; and if one or more spaces are split into a larger number ofspaces, then for each space there is one or more controllers and amaster-slave relationship that exists for each space which has two ormore controllers.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein: each group ofcontrollers has a master controller; each controller has an own ID and amaster ID; if an own ID of a controller is dissimilar from the masterID, then the controller is a slave; and if an own ID of a controller isthe same as the master ID of the controller, then the controller is amaster.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein when two or more spaces arecombined into a smaller number of spaces, the controllers of thecombined spaces are automatically connected into a master-slaverelationship.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein when one or more spacesare split into a larger number of spaces, then the master-slaverelationship is automatically implemented for each space that has two ormore controllers.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein: the two or morespaces are combined with one another by removal of one or morepartitions or walls; if any of the one or more partitions or walls isopened or removed, a combining of the two spaces results in a largerspace having two or more controllers; a sensor detects an opening or aremoval of the one or more partitions or walls for the combining of thetwo spaces; and a signal from the sensor goes to the controllers of thelarger space, which selects one controller to be a master and aremaining one or more controllers to be slaves.
 6. The system of claim1, wherein: the one or more spaces are split into one or more additionalspaces with one or more partitions or walls; a sensor detects asplitting of the one or more spaces into one or more spaces with one ormore partitions or walls; and a signal from the sensor goes to thecontrollers of the resulting spaces which selects one controller to be amaster and remaining one or more controllers of each space that has twoor more controllers, to be slaves.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein aslave-master relationship incorporates: a learning phase; a point valueexchange; and an aggregate calculation and an exchange of calculatedvalue by a master.
 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the learning phasecomprises: a slave registering with a master; the master adding theslave to a slave list; the master requesting the slave to send a list ofpoint role values to be exchanged; the slave sending the list of pointrole values to the master; the master updating the list of point rolevalues of the slave; the slave requesting the master to send a list ofpoint role values to be exchanged; the master updating the list of thepoint role values for the slave; and the master sending the list of thepoint role values to the slave.
 9. The system of claim 7, wherein thepoint-value exchange comprises: a local points value from the master toa data point storage and to an aggregate function mechanism; a firstremote value from a first slave to the aggregate function mechanism; andan nth remote value from an nth slave to the aggregate functionmechanism; and wherein: nth refers to virtually any of 2nd through nthremote values from 2nd through nth slaves, respectively, to theaggregate function mechanism; and the aggregate function mechanismprovides an output of an average, a sum, a minimum, a maximum or lastwrite/wins to the data point storage.
 10. The system of claim 9, whereinthe master comprises the aggregate function mechanism and the data pointstorage.
 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the controllers providecontrol of the spaces for one or more conditions selected from a groupcomprising temperature, lighting, sun-blinds and security.
 12. A methodfor master-slave configuring comprising: combining two or more spaces,each space having at least one controller, into one or more resultingspaces; selecting one controller of each resulting space as a master;and connecting remaining one or more controllers of each resulting spaceas slaves to the master; and wherein: the combining the two or morespaces into the one or more resulting spaces is detected by a sensor;and a signal from the sensor detecting the combining the two or morespaces goes to an interface circuit connected to controllers of aresulting space to automatically implement selecting a controller ofeach resulting space as a master and configuring remaining one or morecontrollers of each resulting space as slaves of the master.
 13. Themethod of claim 12, wherein: the controllers manage one or moreparameters of the spaces; and the one or more parameters are selectedfrom a group comprising temperature, lighting, sun-blinds, and security.14. The method of claim 12, wherein: each controller runs one or moreapplication instances; each application instance has its own identifierand a master identifier; when a master identifier and an own identifierof an application instance are different, then the application instanceruns as a slave; and when a master identifier and an own identifier ofan application instance are the same, then the application instance runsas a master.
 15. The method of claim 12, further comprising: reversingthe combining two or more spaces into previously uncombined two or morespaces; and wherein the reversing the combining the two or more spacesis detected by the sensor and a signal goes from the sensor to theinterface circuit to automatically return the controllers to theirprevious slave and master configurations that were present just prior tothe combining the two or more spaces.
 16. The method of claim 12,wherein: each master has a set of one or more slaves for each controldomain; and one or more control domains may be selected from a groupcomprising HVAC control domains, lighting domains, sun-blind domains,and security domains.
 17. The method of claim 12, wherein: the onecontroller of each resulting space selected as a master covers a firstcontrol domain; and another controller of each resulting space selectedas a master covers a second control domain.
 18. The method of claim 17,wherein: additional controllers of each resulting space are selected asmasters that cover additional control domains respectively; and one ormore control domains are selected from a group comprising temperature,lighting, sun-blinds and security.
 19. A master-slave arrangementcomprising: one or more rooms; and one or more controllers forcontrolling a parameter in each of the one or more rooms; and wherein:any of the two or more rooms are combinable into one or more largerrooms; and upon combining the two or more rooms into one or more largerrooms, the one or more controllers for controlling a parameter in eachof the two or more rooms are automatically connected as slavecontrollers and a master controller.
 20. The arrangement of claim 19,further comprising: a detector situated in at least one or more rooms ofthe two or more rooms being combined into one or more larger rooms; andan interface circuit connected to the detector and the controllers ofthe one or more rooms being connected; and wherein: the detector sensesa combining of the two or more rooms into one or more larger rooms andprovides a signal indicting the combining to the interface circuit; andthe interface circuit effects one controller to be a master andremaining controllers to be slaves, of the one or more larger rooms. 21.The arrangement of claim 19, wherein the parameter is selected from agroup comprising temperature, lighting, sun blocking, and security. 22.The arrangement of claim 19, wherein a largeness of a room is determinedby floor area.